October 2000 - Volume 8, Number 10

New Works and Words

....as seen through my heart and vision.
Pedro Sena, Associate Editor

INTRODUCTION

The nature of a game called EverQuesT is an elusive one. Players come and go and rarely
think of Michelangelo, and furthermore, some of them couldn't give a damn. But there are
times, when a game is not a game, and its sumptuous surroundings can help define a
terribly important moment, that rarely will anyone realize how valuable its lessons are.
It took but one posting, by the honorable Bard "Korendel", to write one day,
about a friend she had met, who fell to the curse of the modern plague, AIDS. I have made
a decision to let each part speak on its own, and Korendel's words are exact with only
minor English corrections.

When I read Korendel's note which is the first part of this piece of work, I was simply
stunned. I wrote the poem that I revised and fitted to this piece of work here. The only
changes from the original are the adaptation to the moment in time, in this case at the
Temple of Solusek Ro, a particular location on the NorthEast side of the continent of
Antonica in the game. The poem got a response.

A week later, a whole bunch of people at Verant (the company that owns this game),
announced the very first event of its kind that I am aware of. Several "GM's"
(leaders for each server in the game), decided to create a Service for Myristica. I wanted
to be a major part of that, and figured that my poem should be read during its
proceedings. I did not know how others were going to react, although I knew that in the
Message Board where I posted the original, only a couple of folks actually said anything
... too many kids that did not know the difference, or what all that meant. After all, it
was poetry! Korendel, was not adverse to it, and I think that she was much too over
wrought by the whole thing, to read it, and allow it to sink in. I don't blame her really.
I don't know that a poem like this one, or any Ode that could possibly be created, can
jolt one back from the stupor of a major personal loss and survive it without being
jolted.

I have always believed that inspiration is a funny thing. Lord Byron used to make fun
of people by telling them that he created a lot of poems while in the bath. I have milked
some nice inspiration via this game and its players. There are a lot of nice things in it.
One might ask, what is a mature man, writer, doing fooling around in a game, and creating
poetry off it? Well, if I knew I would tell you, but suffice it to say that many of the
generic forms of inspiration in the world of writing, just do not satisfy me anymore. The
so called "muse" is packed with bad smells and ugly visions, and I was not
interested in another Sylvia Platt, or Rimbaud statements. I'm tired of writing senseless
love poems that go by un-noticed or read.

The game, within its parameters, has a log of everything that takes place in it. This
log allows one to due a few things, and I have found yet another good use for this file.
The basis for the work is the log, which pretty much tells the whole story, and how it
develops. I don't know if I could make it fit any better. Within the words from the many
players that appeared, are mine on, and conversations with other members of my
"Guild", our very own group of poets, and writers that have participated in
several poetry "slams" ... we haven't won much yet because we are too serious
and do not write too much cutesy stuff ... but that's not enough to quit on. Poetry is my
slam, and I love writing it. I can only hope that it is meaningful, soulful and helpful to
many others. I take special heart to Crystasia's fine words at the beginning of the event
prior to my own poem.

I would like to thank Verant and its creators for this piece of work and a very special
mention is to be made to the GM's in this game that performed the services:

Most of you do not live, in the lands of Veeshan, so this name of Myristica probably
means nothing to you. Even those of you who do frequent those lands, may not know the
name, but I do.

Her real name was Samantha "Sam" Shultz and she was a major part of my life.

It was many eons ago, that I began playing a game,

EverQuest was its name,

and at that time I received an e-mail from Sam,

a friend who had moved away several years before

and whom I commonly received e-mails from several times a week.

She was ecstatic about a new adventure she had discovered.

Soon we met, yet again, in Veeshan

and hunted together for several seasons,

I playing my Bard, and she her Mage.

Soon Sam surpassed me in levels, and by the time I had reached 15 she was fighting her
way into 40. How time flies and disappears in your eyes.

EverQuest wasn't the only thing Sam was fighting her way through.

Neither of us ever mentioned the fact that she was growing so much faster then I was.

We both knew she had much more time to play, though neither of us wanted to think about
the reason.

When Sam moved away from home, it was because she had taken ill and her family disowned
her because of it.

From that point on she simply introduced herself as "Sam," no surname, no
family.

Things were rough for her, and EverQuest was, for her, an escape.

Sam had tested positive with HIV, a disease which she unknowingly contracted from
Brayden Mackenzie, her long time boyfriend (or "soulmate" as everyone else saw
them. Sam knew the risks she was taking when she joined with Bray. They used special
precaution, but she still contracted the virus.).

She had been handling all her treatments well until April when her mate was taken by
the virus.

After that everything went downhill.

Sam stopped playing EverQuest about a month after that, and Myristica sat down to sleep
for the final time on the fire-tower in Lake Rathe.

Several weeks ago Sam and her four year old daughter Cantabaleigh (whom we call 'Leigh
, and whose name is a play on a musical term) moved in with me.

Soon Sam underwent emergency surgery to remove her left lung which was beginning to
deteriorate and plague the rest of her body. The surgery did not go well and Sam ended up
staying in the hospital again, machines doing all the breathing for her.

During this time, I spent every day up at the hospital, sharing stories of silly things
'Leigh did, or telling the tails of my "heroics" during our EverQuest moments.

Sam was always eager to hear how all of her old hunting buddies were doing, and I was
constantly delivering messages to them from her.

Even though she had so much to live for, it was plain to see that Sam was tired of
hanging on.

The once glowing, ethereal being that I had come to love in friendship was no more, in
her place was a veritable vegetable of a lifeform, a sick girl with no sparkle left in her
eyes.

Friday night Sam died.

The time of death was noted at 8:23 pm, the cause: "complications due to advanced
HIV."

Myristica will forever remain level 40, a brave Mage who loved to watch the sunset over
Lake Rathe, and to dance in the rain in the Karanas. She was the one who helped me plan
the first ever moonlit skinny-dip in Kithicor, and she was the only one who would take me
to Everfrost,

just to see the snow.

She often dreamed of Dragon Raids and of going on Plane Runs,

but never made it.

EverQuest was, for her, a way of escape; a way to do all the things she couldn't in
"real" life.

In this game she could run, she could jump, and she could swim. She could talk to her
friends, go shopping, and visit far off places and lands. She could even meet all the
fantastical creatures she had only read about in story books.

As a Bard, I am meant to record the happenings of Norrath and it's people. Myristica
was one such person.

I also hope that by sharing her story with others, that Sam will not be forgotten, and
also that mayhaps, it will cause people to think twice about what they are doing with
their lives.

I am not going to sit here and preach about safe sex, clean needles, or any other such
thing, because everyone has heard it a million times before.

I just hope that stories like this one will spark enough public interest
that one day a cure will be found...

[Fri Jul 07 18:15:10 2000] Tanndaina smiles, listening.
[Fri Jul 07 18:15:11 2000] Seini says, 'Yes please do.'
[Fri Jul 07 18:15:13 2000] Tinytoes says, 'Sniff sniff thank you'
[Fri Jul 07 18:16:06 2000] Korendel says, 'She said that she'd chosen a Mage because of
some book she'd read. That's where she took the name Myristica from as well .'
[Fri Jul 07 18:16:24 2000] Seini nods at Korendel.
[Fri Jul 07 18:16:42 2000] Tinytoes says, 'Books, they are great things.'
[Fri Jul 07 18:16:46 2000] Shiblon bows his head in reverence.
[Fri Jul 07 18:16:55 2000] Shiblon says, 'Yes, yes they are .'
[Fri Jul 07 18:16:56 2000] Wulfheart says, 'I'm sorry all I must go AFK a few moments'
(Note: Means Away From the Keyboard)
[Fri Jul 07 18:16:58 2000] Wulfheart says, 'Forgive me'
[Fri Jul 07 18:17:03 2000] Liiani will have to research the name and see if she can find
that book.
[Fri Jul 07 18:17:10 2000] You say to your guild, 'I have never been here before .. this
is nice'
[Fri Jul 07 18:17:12 2000] Seini says, 'They are to root of where we are now .'
[Fri Jul 07 18:17:13 2000] Korendel says, 'We started playing about the same time. But she
became bedridden soon after and so had more time to play . Tis why she ma.'
[Fri Jul 07 18:17:20 2000] Berrek tells the guild, 'Same here'
[Fri Jul 07 18:17:38 2000] Vondarkmoor says, 'I understand where she came from on that, I
also chose my character from a book'
[Fri Jul 07 18:17:42 2000] Berrek tells the guild, 'A pity its an occasion like this
tough.'
[Fri Jul 07 18:17:57 2000] Tinytoes says, 'I wanted a halfling named Bilbo but tain'
[Fri Jul 07 18:17:58 2000] You say to your guild, 'It's a temple!'
[Fri Jul 07 18:18:15 2000] Berrek tells the guild, 'True enough '
[Fri Jul 07 18:18:16 2000] Lealin bows before Korendel.
[Fri Jul 07 18:18:19 2000] Shiblon says, 'Aye, I choose all my names from scripture .'
[Fri Jul 07 18:18:23 2000] Berrek tells the guild, 'I had forgotten.'
[Fri Jul 07 18:18:28 2000] Tanndaina imagines the freedom to run and leap here while we
can not in life. *blinks hard*
[Fri Jul 07 18:18:36 2000] Vondarkmoor says, 'What ronium'
[Fri Jul 07 18:18:47 2000] Vondarkmoor says, 'I wish a bar of the alloy'
[Fri Jul 07 18:18:51 2000] The air around you grows cooler. No longer are you bothered by
the discomfort of the intense heat of molten lava.
[Fri Jul 07 18:19:41 2000] Echoes within the temple fade away as silence fills its
hallways and rooms.
[Fri Jul 07 18:19:51 2000] Tinytoes Thinks about how much a name can do in a person's
RPing life.
[Fri Jul 07 18:20:04 2000] Shiblon says, 'My High Elven sister says that she will play
until she is 90 years old .'
[Fri Jul 07 18:20:07 2000] Berrek says, 'It defines who you are.'
[Fri Jul 07 18:20:24 2000] Shiblon giggles softly.
[Fri Jul 07 18:20:34 2000] Tinytoes says, 'I think he's wrong'
[Fri Jul 07 18:20:38 2000] A bright light forms in midair and explodes into a fiery
display of light.
[Fri Jul 07 18:20:55 2000] Vondarkmoor says, 'It lets you be something in the game that
you are too afraid or would not be like in the Real word, its lets you be something you've
wanted to be without actually having to be it'

[Fri Jul 07 18:44:19 2000] You shout, 'There are days and there are nights'
[Fri Jul 07 18:44:21 2000] You shout, 'When we can sit and wonder all & why'
[Fri Jul 07 18:44:23 2000] You shout, 'We should hear stories of pain and lights'
[Fri Jul 07 18:44:26 2000] You shout, 'That will forever shine, but make us cry.'

[Fri Jul 07 18:44:28 2000] You shout, 'Some of these live, forever, in our heart'
[Fri Jul 07 18:44:30 2000] You shout, 'And can never be left behind, far apart'
[Fri Jul 07 18:44:34 2000] You shout, 'For those that are now gone and far away'
[Fri Jul 07 18:44:37 2000] You shout, 'Have given us one gift, with lots to say'

[Fri Jul 07 18:45:01 2000] You shout, 'And so today Myristica passes from here to
there'
[Fri Jul 07 18:45:14 2000] You shout, 'and many of us will feel that pain, love care'
[Fri Jul 07 18:45:28 2000] You shout, 'that it took for that person to arise so fair'
[Fri Jul 07 18:45:45 2000] You shout, 'into EverQuest and give us a taste of the air'
[Fri Jul 07 18:46:00 2000] You shout, 'so we can one day look out the hills of Rathe'
[Fri Jul 07 18:46:16 2000] You shout, 'and remember that sould'one that once here sat'
[Fri Jul 07 18:46:26 2000] You shout, 'and closed her eyes forever, in our sights'
[Fri Jul 07 18:46:38 2000] You shout, 'to the game, her one hope of seeing the lights'

[Fri Jul 07 19:13:42 2000] A brief silence settles over the ocean of tears. A strong
breeze passes over you filling your soul with memories as the clouds begin to fill the
sky.
[Fri Jul 07 19:14:14 2000] The heavens begin to shed their tears.
[Fri Jul 07 19:14:24 2000] It begins to rain.
(Ed. How appropriate that it would start raining ... like being blessed!)

[Fri Jul 07 19:19:05 2000] A ghostly crew steps forth from the ship. Bringing aboard
the still form of the adventurer Myristica. Slowly... as her body is taken aboard the
ghostly ship. Her form begins to rise up from the once still body.

[Fri Jul 07 19:22:04 2000] Turning to face her companions. Myristica's form waves
farewell. Before turning away... she blows a kiss to her friends. The ship presses forth,
taking the Heroine to a new adventure... in new lands.

[Fri Jul 07 19:32:14 2000] Moshkiae bows before Vesta.
[Fri Jul 07 19:32:19 2000] Vesta says, 'It was a lovely poem that you read. Thank you'
[Fri Jul 07 19:32:26 2000] Vesta bows before Moshkiae.
[Fri Jul 07 19:32:34 2000] You petition, 'A humblest thank you for the wonderful work you
all did'
[Fri Jul 07 19:33:44 2000] You told Korendel, 'Hold your head up. ... with much heart and
love ... I hope to get a chance to play with you sometime. Yours truly'
[Fri Jul 07 19:36:17 2000] Trez tells you, 'Hail Guide Trez here, Thank you, I am sorry
for your loss, and glad we could assist, if only in a small way'
[Fri Jul 07 19:36:41 2000] You told Trez, 'NP. It's Korendel's, but I had a chance to help
as well'
[Fri Jul 07 19:37:15 2000] Berrek tells the guild, 'Ok man. Moshkiae, you still want to
get drunk? I'll be in the Jade Tavern.'
[Fri Jul 07 19:37:25 2000] You say to your guild, 'Calling it. Thx'
[Fri Jul 07 19:37:41 2000] Berrek tells the guild, 'Ok have a good night. I'll just drink
alone.'

[Fri Jul 07 19:37:45 2000] You tell your guild, 'I think it is time to either write a
poem or hit some sleep. I don't want to feel jaded, off key, or anything, but it will be
too hard to concentrate on playing much for the rest of today."

Come one, come all! Welcome to the newsgroup
alt.centipede. Established just for writers, poets, artists, and anyone who is
creative. A place for anyone to participate in, to share their poems, and learn from
everything and everyone. A place to share *your* dreams, and philosophies. Even a chance
to be published in a magazine. The original Centipede Network was created on May 16, 1993.
Created because there were no other networks dedicated to such an audience, and with the
help of Klaus Gerken, Centipede soon started to grow, and become active on many world-wide
Bulletin Board Systems. We consider Centipede to be a Public Network; however, its a
specialized network, dealing with any type of creative thinking. Therefore, it makes us
something quite exotic, since most nets are very general and have various topics, not of
interest to a writer--which is where the Centipede steps in! No more fuss. A writer can
now access, without phasing out any more conferences, since the whole net pertains to the
writer's interests. This means that Centipede has all the active topics that any creative
user seeks. And if we don't, then one shall be created. Feel free to drop by and take a
look at Newsgroup alt.centipede

The year 2000, has given the Ygdrasil a measure of acceptance that was much
beyond the vision that we had when things first started. The NATIONAL LIBRARY OF CANADA,
has requested that we send them a copy each month, and has also undertaken to maintain a
complete archive of all the work we do. I have always clamored for a little attention, and
I suppose that I have always wanted to leave a mark on a thing or two, so I could prove my
worth to my own peers and family. Other than Klaus and a few friends in this group, my
work seems not to mean much, and I have always cried about this ... can words mean so
little, to so many ... that they get left behind?

But for once, I can say, that I am proud to have added a small inch of a
contribution, although Klaus deserves all the credit for this. I wish I could come up with
a couple more issues per year ... but fates have been hard for the past three years,
specially my vision ... making this alone will force me into bed for a couple of hours ...
but I can't help it.

Ygdrasil is committed to making literature available, and uses the Internet as the
main distribution channel. On the Net you can find all of Ygdrasil including the magazines
and collections. You can find Ygdrasil on the Internet at:

* WEB: http://users.synapse.net/~kgerken/
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REMEMBERY: EPYLLION IN ANAMNESIS (1996), poems by Michael R. Collings
AFTER ALL, HE WAS AN ANGEL, a novel by Rita Stilli

THE POETRY OF PEDRO SENA, poems by Pedro Sena
THE FILM REVIEWS, by Pedro Sena
THE SHORT STORIES, by Pedro Sena
INCANTATIONS, by Pedro Sena

POEMS (1970), poems by Franz Zorn

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All poems copyrighted by their respective authors. Any reproduction of these poems,
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